She worked with Austin and Buddy, the captain, to help the passengers off the boat, then helped with cleanup. Once the boat was locked up for the night, she motioned Austin into the office.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“First, we have a day-long sailboat charter. Young family, two kids under five. Want to take it with me?”
Her brother grinned. “Sure.”
“There could be puke.”
He laughed. “Always a possibility in our line of work. Put it on my schedule.”
“I will. Did you know Dad’s dating Zafina?”
Her brother’s expression was confused. “The sister?” He grimaced. “Seriously? Dad’s dating Kip’s twin sister? Gross.”
“Thank you. I was thinking the same thing. She came in to pick him up, and they were all hugging and kissing. I had no idea. He kept it from me.”
“He’s not the only one,” Austin mumbled.
“What do you mean?”
Her brother shook his head. “Nothing. Forget I said that.”
“Austin? Please?”
He sighed heavily, his shoulders rounding. “Kip had to know.”
“What?” she shrieked.
But even as she asked the question, she knew her brother was right. Zafina would have told Kip she was dating her twin’s future father-in-law.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” Austin said quickly.
While she wanted that to be true, she knew it wasn’t. Of course Kip had known. The twins were tight, like her and Austin. That was one of the things she loved about Kip—how much he cared about his family.
“No, you’re not wrong,” she whispered. “He knows.”
Kip had lied to her, or at the very least, kept the truth from her.
“I never thought he’d do that,” she admitted.
Lies of omission were even worse than the real thing, because they implied that someone else had the right to decide how much she had a right to know. An issue for her that went all the way back to when she’d had cancer. Her parents had told her only that she would be sick for a while. They’d kept the truth from her—that she very well might die. Something she’d never gotten over.
Austin’s mouth twisted. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” She cleared her throat. “Okay, I’m going to lock up and go home.”
“You’ll be all right?”
“No, but that’s hardly a surprise.”
On her way home, Harlow nearly called her mom a dozen times, but even as she reached for her phone, she put her hands back on the wheel. She knew her mom would totally take her side against her dad, but she was less sure about what she would say about Kip. No one expected much from Cord, but Kip was supposed to be different. He was supposed to be the guy taking care of Harlow for the rest of her life. But he’d kept an important truth from her.
Once in their apartment, Harlow pulled on a one-piece bathing suit and did a few laps in the community pool. The physical exercise helped burn off some of her energy but did nothing for her hurt and sadness.
As she showered, she tried to work up some mad, but it couldn’t seem to overtake the pain she felt. Kip had betrayed her with his silence. Worse, early in their relationship, she’d explained why lies of omission were such a big deal for her, and he’d said he understood.
It was his night to work until the store closed. She tried to keep herself busy with wedding planning, but realized that between her fight with her mom and this new information about Kip, she wasn’t in a wedding mood. She stared at her engagement ring and told herself they would get past this. They had to—she loved Kip.
By the time she heard his key in the lock, she’d worked herself into an emotional frenzy. He walked into the apartment and saw her curled up on the sofa. His smile faded as he got closer.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why didn’t you tell me my dad’s dating your sister?”
Kip sank down on the sofa and swore under his breath. “He told you.”
Hope that he hadn’t known died. “Zafina came to see him. I would say they showed me more than told me.” She glared at him. “You kept it from me.”
“I know. I was wrong, and I’m sorry, but I didn’t know what to say. When Zafina told me, I was pissed. How could she do that to us? Did it have to be your dad? We had a big fight, and I’m still mad at her.” He looked at her. “Harlow, I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt you or keep it from you. I just kept hoping they’d end things.”
“How long have you known?”
“A month.”
“What?” She sprang to her feet. “You’ve known a month and you never said anything? You slept with me and told me you loved me, all the while keeping this from me? What else aren’t you telling me?”
He stood and faced her. “That’s all. I swear. I do love you, more than I’ve loved anyone. I didn’t know how to tell you, what to say. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“You have upset me. A lot.” She fought tears. “I’ve told you this is my thing. Don’t keep secrets. Just tell me stuff. I can handle it. You don’t get to say what I can know. You don’t have the right.”
He nodded, looking miserable. “I’m so sorry. I felt horrible the whole time.”
“Not horrible enough.”
“I was wrong. Really wrong. Please believe me. Harlow, I love you.”
She heard the sincerity in his words and felt his pain. He swallowed, and his eyes filled with tears.
“I love you,” he whispered.
She rushed into his arms. He held her like he would never let go.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over.
“It’s okay.”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
She felt her own tears on her cheeks as she gave in to a strangled laugh. “It’s not an easy thing to talk about. WTF? My dad is dating your sister? That’s the same as you dating my mom.”
He drew back. “I think your mom is great, but that is never happening.”
She smiled. “I know. I’m just saying, why did he have to do that?”
“Why did Zafina? Come on. Find somebody else.” His humor faded. “I really am sorry.”
“I got that. I’m letting it go. You not telling me,” she clarified. “I’m still freaked about my dad.”